Archival Solution of the Week: Triangular Roll Storage Box

First, ya gotta roll ’em up JUST RIGHT to fit into whatever size tube you figured you’d use. Doesn’t quite fit? Well then you have to re-roll it even tighter – increasing the likelihood of potential damage – or try to tighten it up by pulling on the edges of the core. Yeah, we all know what all THAT looks like. Not fun!

Damaged / frayed / torn edge of a collectible poster (see red box). Repeated insertion and removal of ANY rolled item into a tube will eventually result in this sort of damage. We’ve all been there, folks!

THEN, just try and take your rolled item or artifact OUT of the tube.

Yeah, we all know what all THAT looks like, too (see pix above).

Yeah, no. Notice how the diameter of these mailing tubes continues to shrink as you move from left to right. The rule of thumb is: the smaller the tube, the tighter you need to roll your item / the tighter you roll your item, the more damage it suffers during insertion and removal (not to mention the creases and such caused by rolling something up that tight, or from the fact that none of these tube are acid-free!). Don’t use these, folks! Plain & simple.

Lastly, that tube you’re planning on using – that you picked up at an office supply store / post office / box shop / or had floating around your home or office (see pix above) – well, I can pretty much guarantee that it is NOT acid-free (please click hereto see our fully illustrated blog that explains everything you need to know about “acid-free” materials).

So, if the general idea of placing a valued (sentimentally or monatarily) rolled item in a tube is based on protecting and preserving it, well, your HEART is certainly in the right place but your ROLLED ITEM isn’t!

Triangular Roll Storage Box: Easy Access(!)

The improper storage of rolled prints can lead to damage, especially when attempting to remove a rolled artwork from a tube (see above).

To avoid this, the “fully accessible” opening design of Archival Methods’ Triangular Roll Storage Box minimizes the kinds of damage that can be inadvertently caused by pulling on the rolled-up edges of items when removing them from tubes. This design also reduces the possibility of causing a wrinkle when handling the rolled item.

As an added benefit, the Triangular Roll Storage Box will NOT inadvertently roll off your work surface / desk / or table, and stacks much more easily than a tube.

Please Note: As all of our museum-quality Triangular Roll Storage Boxes are buffered with calcium carbonate, as mentioned, if these boxes are to be used to store architectural or other blueprints then it is important that the “blue” image side is rolled inward to prevent contact between the cyan of the rolled print and the buffered walls of the box – all of which is fully explained in the blog mentioned above.

Triangular Roll Storage Box: Convenient Sizes

These unique storage boxes come in two convenient sizes:

• 6 x 6 x 30-1/8″

• 6 x 6 x 36-1/8″

The three 6-inch sides of this useful storage box fold in to accommodate rolled items with up to a 3-1/2″ diameter, which means you DO NOT need to roll your item too tightly.

Helpful Hint: To keep your rolled items…well…ROLLED for easier handling while placing them in these convenient storage boxes, consider rolling them up and then wrapping them in a band or full sheet of acid-free Archival Paper that is taped closed with a piece of archival Filmoplast P-90 Tape (see pix above). This will keep your poster / map / artwork rolled for easier handling, and NO adhesive will come into contact with the item itself. Just slide this band or sheet of acid-free paper off your item for easy access / carefully slide it back on again when you’re finished.

Contact Us

In addition, if you have any questions or would like more information on any of our museum-quality archival storage and presentation materials, please contact ushere at Archival Methods. We’re always there to help with any archiving, storage, or presentation questions you may have.

We would also like to encourage you to follow us onTwitter,Facebook,Pinterest,and our large selection of informative and crisply-illustrated (and often humorous)blogsfor up-to-the-minute information, Archival Solutions of the Week (take a look at this archive for more info!), and stories of interest.